I'm not freaking out or anything; I just couldn't sleep last night.
Don't tell her that.
We've been trying to put on a brave front for Emmie, who's nervous about starting a new school in a new town. Well, actually, it's an old school in an old town, but not really to her.
You see, we did decide to move into my parents' house in Bruce's and my hometown, the same town we lived in when Emmie was a baby and we were living with my in-laws. (Try to wrap your brain around that one!) Now we're moving back, and Emmie will be attending kindergarten where I once went. My parents moved us to the town before fourth grade, and I started there the year the school opened - nearly - can this be true? - 30 years ago. Fun fact: I sang a solo of "My Favorite Things" at the dedication ceremony. Now my kid is going there.
Since getting back from San Diego (which was awesome, by the way), we've been taking the necessary steps to enroll Emmie. Bruce switched the gas bill at my parents' house into his name. He got a driver's license with my childhood home's address on it, which is really weird for me to see. I made the calls to the school secretary, filled out all the paperwork, took the kids a couple times down to the school office, and arranged everything. I also had to tell the school here in our current town she would no longer be attending.
We've also been slowly getting the house ready for sale. I try to do a little task each day, box up some books or tidy up a closet, but it's so hard to do with the kids around. Especially Hannah. Every time I get one part of the house clean, she goes right behind me and has her toddler way with it. Little hand prints on stainless steel, toys strewn about, crayon on the walls. It's maddening, but she's so cute she gets away with it.
How are we ever going to get this all done? This is on top of my work; I still have the two writing groups, the house museum, and an upcoming online class to prepare. Insert wailing-face emoji here.
Starting Wednesday, we will be driving Emmie to school, 40 minutes away. She goes from 8:40 to 11:15 a.m., which means on the days Bruce has a meeting and can't take her, Hannah and I will, and there isn't enough time to come back home and work on anything. Bruce's father has generously offered to pick up Emmie on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which helps out some, but I can't squash the rising tide of panic welling up in my throat. I feel completely overwhelmed.
We'll get through it, I tell myself. We've gone through plenty of chaos before. At this point, it will be such a relief to sell the house and be all moved in to my parents'. We just have to get it done.
Today is Emmie's school orientation. We are scheduled to arrive at 2 o'clock. Bruce has to go into the office this morning, so he will meet us there. However, there's a damn eclipse happening right in the middle of the day! Normally, I would be so excited. Originally I planned to take the girls to a viewing party. But like many plans I made for this summer, like working on my novel, practicing the art of wood burning, and getting some poems published, they have fallen by the wayside of motherhood, home ownership, and general adult responsibility. Now I have to get the kids over to my folks' house early this morning so we aren't driving when the moon overpowers the sun, potentially burning our eyes out and sending the world into partial darkness.
My plans, you could say, have been eclipsed.
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